04 October 2024

Growing Rye: A win-win for tillage and pig producers

Michael Hennessy, Teagasc Crops Department, and Michael McKeon, Teagasc Pig Department, discuss the potential for increased cooperation between Ireland’s pig and tillage sectors by growing more rye, which benefits both pig diets and crop production, promoting a strong circular economy.

Pig production is one of the main users of Irish cereals and the pig manure resulting from this feed can be an important nutrient source for tillage crops. Opportunities for greater co- operation between the two sectors can lead to a stronger bio-circular economy, with resultant economic benefits for both parties. One of these ‘potential opportunities’ is to increase the amount of rye being grown and used in Irish pig diets.

Winter rye has a number of advantages for a tillage farmer as it gives growers the option of lengthening the rotation before returning to a break crop. Rye can produce high yields in a first cereal slot and also fits well into the second cereal slot to give a higher yield than winter barley. In this rotational position farmers can take advantage of rye’s take-all tolerance. Production costs of winter rye are comparable to those of winter barley but output is higher due to higher grain and straw yields.

Recent research on using rye in pig finisher diets in Ireland carried out by Peadar Lawlor, concluded that growth rates were excellent and that rye can be considered a safe ingredient for use in finisher pig diets. Based on the chemical analysis, the forecast value of rye in the diet is 94% of the value of wheat. Listen to a podcast on ‘The inclusion of Rye and Field Beans in pig diets’ below. It has been incorporated in pig diets in Denmark for many years, however its usage in Ireland has been quite low due to a lack of availability.

In 2024, there were 2,720 hectares of rye grown, an increase of nearly 1,000 hectares compared to 2023. With an average yield of 10t/ha there is a potential of ~25,000 tonnes available in 2024. There is a growing interest among tillage farmers in rye as it is considered reasonably easy to grow, suffers from less disease and has a lower nitrogen requirement.

Tillage farmers across the country will grow more rye if there is greater demand and from a risk perspective Irish pig producers are always looking to reduce their sole reliance on the limited 2-3 grain sources in pig diets. Therefore it makes sense for the tillage and pig sector to grow and use more rye, some might even say it’s a ‘win-win’ situation.

Peadar Lawlor, Principal Research Officer at Moorepark Pig Research facility, discusses the inclusion of Rye and Field Beans in pig diets, with Ciarán Carroll.